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The Most Anti-Tech Organizations in America
Verizon dominates list, thinks PC World's 'Shizophrenic'

PC World rattles off a top five list of the "Most Anti-Tech Organizations in America," affixing the RIAA and MPAA atop the list for eliminating innovation in their sector. The magazine isn't too kind to phone companies, putting them at number three for their fight against network neutrality, number five for their stranglehold on the wireless sector, and number four for their fight against even broadband deployment:

quote:
The phone and cable companies have had little real incentive to improve the speeds, prices, and reach of their broadband services. Today most Americans, if they have any choice of broadband providers at all, can choose service only from a cable or a telephone company ISP. Meanwhile, the FCC and the courts have consistently ruled that the cable and telephone companies are under no legal obligation to share their broadband lines with would-be competitors.

Some argue that federally collected monies and tax incentives helped pay for those lines in the first place, and that the current owners of those facilities have an obligation to share them. Only real competition, not the short-term interests of shareholders, can compel ISPs in the U.S. to boost broadband speeds and lower costs to world-class levels


Verizon and AT&T actually catch a break in that the piece only highlights one group that's used to dispense disinformation dressed up as economic science (Progress and Freedom Foundation). In addition to lobbying, both companies actually use dozens of such groups (including fake consumer advocacy organizations) to help push policies that eliminate competition, accountability, innovation and consumer rights.

Verizon makes a post to their policy blog suggesting PC World shouldn't include them in the list because they're deploying FiOS. However, select deployment of fiber (which we all love) doesn't wash clean the company's long track record of crushing competition, suing municipal Wi-Fi projects out of existence, nickel and diming consumers, using astroturf to distort public discourse and generally stomping around the industry school yard like a deep-pocketed bully.

There's just no way they're going to make us forget about decades of anti-consumer activity just by dangling fiber in front of....symmetrical 20Mbps you say? What were we talking about?

Most recommended from 114 comments



CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium Member
join:2004-11-12

2 recommendations

CableTool

Premium Member

Verizon issue

Everyone has an issue with seeing Verizon on there becasue everyone on this site loves their fast internet.
Verizons roll out of Fios, that most of the country will never see, does not negate everything else going on.

Fiber is great.. cable has had it forever. But it isnt changing technology, it isnt changing the face of technology and it doesnt negate the fact that a lot of Verizons policies and lobbyists are actually HURTING forward progress across the board on many other fronts.

there is a big picture here people.. even if it casts everyones broadband savior in a bad light...

You dont make 3 out of 5 bullet points on a top five most anti tech companies by being the best tech company...

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

2 recommendations

Tzale

Premium Member

What Credibility?

PC World has lost even more credibility as soon as I saw they included Verizon for their "fight against even broadband deployment." GET REAL!

-Tzale